Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1887-04-01
WHICH WILL YE unOosEI

NphNH ihV uN's Va ''N S'hHSho W otltNt "
chief magistrate for our goodly city.
Under ordinary circumstances we would
unhesitutinglv advise the selecti,n Of the
Republican candidate.
We cheerfully concede that personally,
Mr.. Smith il man Of commercial integ.
rity, suave IN manner, loyal TO his in,me-
dintc personal friends, and generally d, -
voted to the success OF the Republican
party. The objections to him are. His
highest ambition is To he political boss /;
the cllief OF n faction; not leader in his
party. II ls faction cannot succeed, then
the party should lie defeated.
Ills tendency is not to allay soreness or
close up division, in the ranks Of the party
whose local chief he is, hut 10 stamp down
in the brutal manner OF MIR. Halslead all
who differ with him or lns faction. Such
leadership, may, for time score victo.
rles, but Ms sure as the wages Of Gin are
death, 80 sure will such leadership IN the
near future end in the destruction OF any
party subjected TO it. 1t ia better then,
looking AT the question from Republican
standpoint, that defeat should be met In
mere municipal conflict which imports but
little in a political sense, rather than lie
met with at a time when In consequences
might be disastrous TO the party.
But aside from these considerations,
Mr.. Smiths administration of the office
he holds, has not been such as we can
commend.
His unfortunate alliance with the Comp
troller's Office has done much 10 lessen
confidence in him.
As Chief of the Board of Revision lie
hns refused, or at least, has carefully
avoided having any investigation of Mr..
Eshelby's Office.
As Chief of the Board of Revision lie
allowed, without word OF remonstrance,
the snle of nearly ST. 100000 of the bonds
of Cincinnati at u premium OF S1.26 On
the 81 900, when they were worth $40 per
days after the unnecessarily hastened sale
at 81 20.
AS Chief OF the Board OF Revision he
never caused an investigation Of the cor
rupt, rascally, robbing bills of the gas
company-a form OF speculation that con.
tinues TO this day-and could only be
continued by the connivance of Compirol-
Ter Eshelby, Mayor Smith and Engineer
Stanley. On this head alone thousands of
dollars are stolen every month.
As Mayor Of the city, he acted without
courage or discretion in the matter of the
gas ordinance. When the Sl.25 ordi-
nance was about passed, Mayor Smith pro-
cured the so-called opinion Of Mr.. Solic-
itor Coppock that the ordinance was OF
such II character that the Mayors ap.
proval or veto was not necessary or proper.
Yet when the Sl.15 ordinance was subrti-
tuted the Mayor hastened to approve the
ordinance.
This serves to show that in the first in
stance lie WIS too cowardly TO face the
public indignation, but hnstened to do the
requirement of the gas company when he
thought; the public was tired OF opposition.
We have said we believe Mr.. Smith To be
personally honest, but to borrow n phrase
OF the distinguished Mr.. Hirst, pastor of
Trinity church, uttered last night:
"Of what value is personal honesty in a
ruler il he smiles ut dishonesty, when he
should frown?"
There are other reasons-seriOus short
comings OF Mr.. Smith in his relations and
examples to the public that incline us
81 rongly TO the opinion that he should not
be re elected as chief magistrate of this
city.
Naturally, attention is next directed TO
the other great political organization. The
situation IL reversed at once. In the other
cnse the party will do TO trust, fully, the
candidate will not. Now, although the
candidate for the Democracy is all that
should be asked, we can not and do not
commend the party he represents. Its en-.
tire history is u record OF folly. wrong do
ing, and oppression and nowhere in the
country has II succeeded iT doing much
worse than il has IN our own city. The
party iDiH not do TO trust.
Mr.. MatSon, its candidate, is n gentle
man OF education, experience, innate hon
esty Of charucter-not merely commercial
honesty, but that kind Of honesly-some-
what rare-that is the outward manifesta-
lion OF natural and cultivated conscience
In contradistinction to Smith, lie thinks
more Of his party Than he does of his fac
ton and more OF his country than he does
Of his party. Although the very essence
OF politeness and good nature, lie can be
rs obstinate ns Cleveland, as sturdy ns old
Ben Wade, Ms independent M General Lo-
gan. There is nothing that can ne fairly
urged against him except that he is n
Democrat. Bnl-alack n dny-llnt is a
great deal. A great deal too much to
overlook in candidate for Mayor.
Where shall we turn for n choice then
Faith must guide ns. We know the Re
publican candidate will not do, because
of himself aud his immediate advisers and
associates.
We know the Democratic candidate will
not do, becnGse ol his party. We believe
that the third candidate will do both be-
cause Of himself and because Of hi. party
We have been at pains To collect the
evidence about Mr.. Stevenson.
We are convinced that he is honest,
capable and earne-t. We believe that il
will he fur the interest of Cincinnati that
change in the ruling classes should be
made, not merely II change from one -ct
Of ward workers to another rel, but IL
radical ful-aedged change.
Mr.. Stevenson wniild be tax saver to
the public, for lie knows that in the
end !, is the consumer aud the man who
pays the rent that pays the taxes. lie
would sci his foot down on the rascalty
that has obtained with the gas company
for his lot IN life, while on the whole
pleasant and agreeable, has tanghl him to
disirust and dislike monopolies.
He would set on foot measures thai
would tend to bring to he bar Of public
nsIlce the tax dodgers, for lie knows that
an honest, full, complete enforcement Of
all laws is the surest protection If those
who toll for living. There are fifty mil
lion dollars OF which lie would cause tu
be placed on the lax duplicate.
His sympnthies will. of course, be with
his co-labOrers now as it has ever been in
the past. HIS hatred OF the accursed doc
trine that capital should own its laborers
made him a radical Republican all his
life, and he retains to this day every hon